Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Wedge Review

The Start of the Mack Daddy

If anyone’s interested in how the wedge got its name, here’s a short account straight from the horse’s mouth (if you’ve already heard it, feel free to skip this paragraph and get straight to the review).

In Cleveland’s own words, the inspiration for the name came from Phil Mickelson – when the X-forged was launched (and Callaway made the largest groove up to date, raising some eyebrows within the USGA); Mickelson took it out for a test drive. Reportedly, he played a 30-yard lob shot when the ball ripped back some 40 feet, after which he said he’d found his Mack Daddy groove. Of course, as any reasonable company would do, Callaway immediately put MD on the hosel, and the rest is legend.

On a more serious note, though, the grooves on the Mack Daddy let you play quite aggressively, particularly in the lob wedges. They used to press them, but with the MD2, they machined the face down and then machined the grooves in, which is a trend they continued with the MD3s, as well.

Callaway MD 2: Mack’s Back

In a nutshell, the Callaway Mack Daddy 2 features a roundish, teardrop profile. At address, you can notice the head is not really that big, but it’s not compact either, which should appeal to better players. When you put it down by the ball, you really have a feel there’s a decent chance you’ll get it out of virtually any type of lie.

Speaking of feels, the MD2 really feels nice and solid, enabling you to really dial in the ball from almost any distance, though it plays most beautifully out of sand (you’re pretty much guaranteed to hear a nice muffled click on every shot you make out of the bunker, letting you know you’ve made great contact).

The wedge is available in two different finishes – Chrome and Slate (Black Nickel), the latter of which gives it more of a vintage look as it oxidizes over time. Sure enough, not everyone likes it, but that fresh-off-the-workbench vibe might still resonate with some of you.

As we mentioned earlier, the V grooves we see on the MD2 and the MD3 today were originally designed by Roger Cleveland (THE Roger Cleveland), as he developed them for the Callaway X Forged Wedges back in the day.

These grooves were notorious for their tendency to chew up a ball or two; then the rules changed and the USGA put limits on the groove size and other specs, so the manufacturers struggled for some time to get back those insane amounts of spin while making the grooves in line with the new regulations.

Roger Cleveland did it for Callaway with the MD2 wedges and their barely legal grooves, a lot of spin (and we do mean a lot), this is one of the few wedges with grooves that might shred the ball covers like the old nonconforming ones did; really making a difference when you’re playing out of the rough.

Now, as opposed to those on the X-Forged, which have 2-degree edges, the grooves on the Mack Daddy 2 sport 5-degree edges (hence the name – 5V), though the width is the same. According to Callaway, they’re designed to be 39 per cent bigger than those on the previous Mack Daddy, thereby giving you the ability to play a tad more aggressively.

On a similar note, the MD2 also features a laser-etched microgroove pattern in between the grooves themselves that additionally roughens up the face by another 25%. That way, you’ll have even more bite on the ball (well, the club will, but you get the idea).

Granted, the laser etching is reminiscent of leopard print, and not everyone likes it, but on the flipside, it does fade as time goes by. Still, it will give you insane amounts of spin until it does. On that same note, you needn’t worry about the grooves – they won’t wear in a hurry.

Of Grinds and Heads

The Callaway Mack Daddy 2 comes in three distinct flavours in terms of grinds – U-grind, S-grind, and C-grind (low, standard, and high bounce, respectively), the trio was launched in July 2013, with the Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Tour grind joining the team a year later.

For the sake of being precise, the MD2 Tour grind counts as a separate model, though it’s just an upgraded version of the C grind building upon its tour-validated reputation. So, you basically have the three sole options with more bounce options within them, plus a related model designed for tours.

U-Grind

U-grind, for players who have steeper attack angles and/or play in soft conditions; it’s the grind that Phil Mickelson prefers, so if you tend to play aggressive and risky shots like the man himself, you might find yourself gravitating towards this one. It has a heavily rounded leading edge and a partially concave sole, which makes opening up the face a wee bit easier, making for some nice touch shots and soft landings.

It’s available in two of the higher lofts – 58.10 and 60.10, and comes with both left- (LH) and right-handed (RH) players in mind in the latter (only right-handed in the former).

S-Grind

The S-Grind, aka standard grind, is pretty much what you’d guess from hearing the name – an option between the U- and C-grinds. It’s designed for players with neither too steep nor too shallow angles of attack. Heads with this grind feature a fairly straight leading edge and a 10-degree bounce, and should suit players who rarely play flop shots and instead mainly keep it to shots with a square face.

It does a great job picking up balls from any type of lie, so you can feel confident taking it to pretty much any course you’re playing.

The grind comes with the following lofts and bounces: 47.11 (RH), 50.12 (RH), 52.08 (RH), 52.12 (RH / LH), 54.14 (RH), 56.10 (RH), 56.10 (RH), 56.14 (RH / LH), 58.10 (RH), 60.10 (RH / LH), and 64.08 (RH).

C-Grind

The C-Grind comes somewhat thin on the sole, but with plenty of relief on the heel and toe to give you more playability. With its partially flattened sole and a leading edge that’s neither too straight nor too round, it’s a perfect choice for craftier players who have the need to open up the face at times.

On a similar note, it’s worth mentioning that it plays beautifully out of the sand, and should also perform great for players who tend to take big divots; since it has less in the way of the leading edge, it should have less resistance when you dig it into the ground.

You should be able to find it in three of the higher lofts – 56.14 (RH), 58.14 (RH), and 60.14 (RH / LH).

A Point About the Callaway MD2 Tour Grind

As we mentioned earlier, the Callaway MD2 Tour Grind counts as a separate model, but it’s essentially just an upgraded MD2 with the C-Grind with a straighter leading edge and higher-peaked toe. In a nutshell, the Tour Grind wedge comes with a generous heel and toe relief, as well as a truer leading edge, which should go a long way to allowing you better interaction with the turf.

Now, you’ll have to keep in mind that if you come across two seemingly different models, it’s the Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind that has just the one grind, while the Mack Daddy 2 has all three grinds.

It should be available in these heads: 52.10, 54.11, 56.11, 58.09, and 60.09.

All in all the Callaway Mack Daddy 2 is definitely a great little club, but an old one, so you might not be able to find your preferred loft-to-bounce option at your preferred retailer. There’s a great way to get a serviced and professionally cleaned wedge on Callaway Certified Pre-Owned Website – you’ll also be getting a 90-day money-back guarantee, plus a 1-year warranty on any club you buy.

The Final Verdict

It’s no secret that the Callaway MD2 is a great club and a favorite for many golfers. It’s as legendary as its maker and have been used by legendary players. When it comes to your own game, whether you’re a beginner or you have been playing the great game of golf for the most part of your life, finding a club you absolutely love can be a challenge, but with the Callaway Mack Daddy 2 wedge you can never go wrong.